Resilient metallic suspender loop



May 5, 1931. 1., w. JOYCE RESTLIENT METALLIC SUSPENDER LOOP Filed Nov. 6, 1929 Patented May 5, 1931 [Yuan-En STATES PATENT OFFICE LYNDON WALKER JOYCE, GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO JOYCE- VENNING MANUFACTURING (10., -INC., OF GREENSBORO; NORTH CAROLINA, A COR- PORATION OF DELAWARE nnsimnnrr METALLIC susrnnnnn LooP Application filed November 6, 1929.. Serial No. 405,152.

..vide a resilient metallic Suspender loop in which the neck of the button receiving loop is automatically contracted when the device is relieved from the longitudinal stress incident to its use, and which may be expanded ..at will for the insertion of the button by squeezing pressure brought to bear laterally upon the device.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a preferred .embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawings in which the same reference characters are used in the several figures to denote identical parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the device of my invention in its relation to "the bib portion of an over-all;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the resilient metallic suspender loop;

Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the .suspender loop in its relation to the shank 'of a button;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the suspender loop indicating the function of expanding the neck of the button receiving loop vJoy lateral pressure imparted to the closed symmetrically with respect to its middle point 2 into a group of loops, all of which function together in the general operation of the device, the free portions 3 and 4 of I the wire being finally bent to form a bar loop 5, the free ends 6 and 7 being preferably concealed within a hollow metallic bar 8 of any preferred or known construction.

The resilient wire 1 is bent into a config uration which includes, first the button retaining loop 9, the sides of which configuration, formed by said wire, are directed to ward one another at points 10 and 11 forming an open neck for said loop through which the shank 12 of a button may pass. The normal width of the neck when unstressed'is preferably such that the shank of the button may be snapped therethrough. Beyond said neckthe wire forming the sides of the configuration is bowed outwardly on each side as indicated at l3 and 14: forming a larger loop communicating with the button re taining loop by way of said neck.

The loop 15 is large enough tofslip: over a button and the button is transferred from the loop 15 to the loop 9 by pulling upward on the uspender loop or downwardly on ,the'

loop and on said oppositesides of said median linethe wire constituting the sides of said configuration is formed into closed loops 17 and 18;

The limbs of the loops 17 and 18 freely in tersect at their points of closure 19 and 20. Beyond the said points of closure of the closed loops, the free portions of the wire 1 are formed in any suitable manner into the bar loop 5 for receiving the end of the suspender. i

The novel function of the invention as described is that when a 'tensioning force is imparted longitudinally to the device by the pull of the button 12,'the loops l7 and 18 are reduced in size as is indicated in full lines in Figure 5. The said reduction creating an outward as wellas a downward thrust upon the bowed portions 13 and 14, causing an ex pansion in the width of the neck of the button receiving loop.

While this expansion is a comparatively inutile function while the suspender loop is under tension, yet when the tension is released, corresponding contraction in the width of the neck occurs, this being a decidedly advantageous feature since it is only when the tension is released that the button 12 tends to escape from the button holding loop. This operation is quite the contrary to that in known devices in which, when the tension is released, the neck of the button holding loop invariably widens.

Since the shanks of certain buttons may vary in diameter, it frequently happens that considerable stress may have to be exerted in the device of the invention, in forcing the button to snap through the contracted neck. In order-toravoid such stress, if desirable, the neck can readily be expanded by pressing simultaneously upon the sides of the closed loops 17 and 18, thus reducing their size and imparting the same outward thrust to the bowed portions 13 and 14 for producing the widening of the said neck. The shank of the button may be readily passed through said neck while the loops 17 and 18 are so pressed together, and upon releasing the said pressure, the neck will immediately contract to itsnormal size in which the button is prevented from escaping.

\Vhile in the above description, I have defined what I believe to be practical and preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that it is possible to carry out the same principle by the wire being bent into configurations other than here illustrated, and that such modifications in the structure of the suspender loop are to be considered within the scope of the invention as may come within the terms of the ap pended claims.

'What I claim is:

1. A suspender loop comprising a resilient wire bent into a configuration characterized by the following elements, a button retaining loop having thesides of said configuration directed toward one another forming a neck opening into said loop, said sides beyond said neck being bowed outwardly, to-

gether forming a loop larger than the but ton receiving loop and communicating therewith, said sides being freely crossed beyond said larger loop and being formed beyond their point of crossing, into oppositely disposed closed loops, the limbs of which are freely intersecting at their points of closure, where-' by when said button holding loop is pulled longitudinally, or said closed loops are laterally squeezed toward each other, said closed loops impart an outward thrust to the said bowed sides, expanding said neck.

2. A suspender loop comprising a resilient wire bent to forma button retaining.

loop the sides of which extend toward one another at the top forming a neck, said sides being extended beyond said neck and being bowed outwardly to form a loop larger than the button retaining loop, closed at the end opposite to said neck and communicating with the button retaining loop by way of said neck, means for securing said suspender loop to a suspender, and mutually cooperating means between the closed end of said larger loop and said suspender securing 'ineans, and acting independently of the latter, depressible laterally together for expandingsaid neck.

3. A suspender loop comprising .a resilient wire bent to form a button retaining loop, a narrow neck at the top of said loop, a larger loop on the opposite side of said neck from "said button retaining loop, means for secur- LYNDoN WALKER JOYCE. 

